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#Skyking

Play trailer Poster for #Skyking 2026 1h 20m Documentary Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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A troubled airport worker's impulsive decision to steal and fly a commercial plane becomes an aerial drama that reflects deeper issues of mental health and working-class struggles in America.

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#Skyking

Critics Reviews

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John Anderson Wall Street Journal Apr 13
While Ms. Gillespie can’t solve the mystery of why exactly her subject did what he did, she has created a novel kind of crime film, one aided in no small way by what seems to be the complete flight recording from Russell’s mad act. Go to Full Review
Stephen Silver The SS Ben Hecht 3d
Tells the compelling story of a troubled man, although one gets the sense the filmmakers were stretching to fill 90 minutes. Go to Full Review
Carla Hay Culture Mix 4d
The documentary #SkyKing gives empathetic perspectives of Richard 'Beebo' Russell and his mental health crisis that led to him stealing a Horizon Air plane (with no passengers on board) in 2018. Most of the people interviewed are his loved ones. Go to Full Review
Chase Hutchinson The Inlander (Spokane, WA) Mar 30
Save for a more misguided musical choice near the end that sees the film falling prey to the online mythologizing that still surrounds the incident, it mostly manages to delve deeper into what happened and what it means all these years later. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jess S @RT25861954 4h Maybe...just MAYBE...the perpetrator is at fault and not society, corporations, governments, etc. This boils down to a doc seeking a scapegoat other than the individual performing the actual actions or the broken home he came from. Had high expectations but not sure if this is supposed to be a comedy (FAA audio recordings) or a tragedy (interviews with family and friends). The fact that it CELEBRATES barrels roll stunts with both crescendo music and non-expert interviewee praise disqualifies this as a serious documentary. See more Matthew W. @Mattrocks704 1d Strong emotional story, if anyone is struggling with mental health please seek help. It not a burden on anyone. See more Jay C. @JayCassario 4d I went into this doc with no expectations, just looking to watch as I worked. 15 minutes in and I was mesmerized by the story being presented. It’s a story that will stick with me a while. See more Shona P @Shona700 4d Aw, this one will stick with me for a long time. He was a thoroughly decent man, struggling to be human in a world lacking in humanity. Really heartbreaking. But this documentary manages to elevate his final, extreme gesture to the status of art - there is poetry in his reach for the sky, it's astonishing and you can't help but to admire his daring. See more Simon H @RT00465208 4d As a pilot I was eager to watch this. Im afraid to say this is stereotypical American over-dramatisation. Talk about stretching it out for all it was worth. That aside, my commentary has more to say about current society and how pathetically weak we have become. Yes this guy obviously had a psychological break, granted. But when that happens you stop work or you see a Dr or you medicate, or any number of other things. What you do not do it what this guy did. And no, airline management did not cause this, nor did his earning minimum wage. Millions earn min wage, they dont off themselves because if it. This was indulgent self gratification and entitlement. I do pity the guy, moreover I pity the people he left behind, but if we all responded to stress as this guy did, there would be a global shortage of straight jackets! Finally, shame on the producers for spotlighting skin colour here, that was a very poor attempt at cashing in on the current pathetic state of American society. See more T G @RT51979266 4d Profound, devastating and in a strange way, beautiful. His story always got me chocked up, but the whole story brought me to tears. Watching his family & friends listen to his last moments & explain the amount of messages they received from working class citizens, particularly in the airline industry, should all give us pause. We need to treat workers better and give hope to people who are struggling to find purpose and joy in our lives. Rip Beebo. See more Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis A troubled airport worker's impulsive decision to steal and fly a commercial plane becomes an aerial drama that reflects deeper issues of mental health and working-class struggles in America.
Director
Patricia E. Gillespie
Distributor
Hulu
Production Co
Fifth Season, ABC News Studios
Genre
Documentary, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 14, 2026
Runtime
1h 20m
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